Unlike past years I really have not done very much climbing training this year. My weight was so high this Spring I was focused on longer rides just trying to burn calories. Plus I also knew what a sufferfest it would be if I tried to climb some of the hills with the 15 extra pounds and I just could not get interested in that level of pain.

We went to visit my daughter over the 4th. She lives in Boone and just a few miles from a pretty good climb-Snake Mountain. I did a very short ride-under 20 miles-that included climbing Snake. There was a good 15 mph headwind that made climbing Snake even more challenging..........and I really suffered. For the first time all year I really had to grind out the gears for an extended period and at a very high HR. Some of the suffering probably had to do with the pitcher of Margaritas we enjoyed the night before.

Anyway that steep climb seems to have helped me find a little additional leg strength. Our group rode last night and I could tell I had a little extra on the climbs from what I'd had days before. I'd forgotten how much riding steeper hills helped me with power. Or on second thought maybe it was the Margaritas after all.

Now if I could just lose those extra 5 pounds I still have........